Natural hazards · Solvay

Solvay, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Solvay comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Solvay?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Solvay to be higher than in 4% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes11%Strong wind10%Everything else20%

By hazard

What Solvay faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Solvay flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Solvay, from FEMA’s records.

6paid claims since 1978

$11Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Solvay isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Onondaga County.

Disasters that hit Solvay

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Solvay itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Solvay.

Brought FEMA money into SolvayDeclared for Onondaga County only

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

$72K to the Village of Solvay for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$19K to the Village of Solvay for repairs

Onondaga County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Solvay

Solvay and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Syracusemostly inland floodingLow

Camillusmostly inland floodingVery low

Geddesmostly inland floodingVery low

Solvaymostly inland floodingVery low

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Solvay covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Solvay’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Solvay. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Solvay total about $781K a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.